During last day activities we heard Amal El Shana' a brave Bedouin woman.
Look to this video and judge yourself.
enjoy
Itzik Koren
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
AMAL MEANS HOPE
AMAL MEANS HOPE
During last day activities we heard Amal El Shana' a brave Bedouin woman.
Look to this video and judge yourself.
During last day activities we heard Amal El Shana' a brave Bedouin woman.
Look to this video and judge yourself.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Hospitality in the Negev
Hospitality in the Negev.
Saturday - Sha'ar Hanegev's day. We drove alongthe way from Jerusalem to the south in beautiful landscape of the Jerusalem hills. On the way we stopped near Kibbutz Nativ Ha Lamed He that is situatated in Emek Haella Valley, there, we referred to the story of David and Goliath, and to the story of the 35 soldiers in the Israeli war of independence. Later we stopped at the scenic point of Mitzpeh Mashua in front of us we saw most parts of the South of Israel.A panoramic view of Hebron Mountains, Kiryat Gat town, Askelon, Asdod, Ramle. Mitzpe Mashua served as a place to light beacons to inform the new moon. We got to Kibbutz Ruhama, we received an explanation on the kibbutz from Shaked's mother. We Visited the founders site of the kibbutz. After lunch the teenagers dispersed among Shaar Hanegev families. We gathered again in the evening meeting with Jitli alumni. The testimonies of the alumni how Jilli influenced their lives were very exciting.
The next day was Lakyah day. We started with social and sport games, in the Lahav forest. Later we visited the women business in Lakiya. The home hospitality felt like we were kings towards evening we drove to Mitzpe Ramon to be guests in Bedouin tent, Shalman tent. He told us his life story. The next morning we went on foot to Mitzpe Ramon- Beer Sheva road and from there we drove to our next activity at Desert Farm "Tzel Midbar".
The activity was based on environmental issues, each group built a model of village that was based on JITLI laws and ecology principles.
Our next activity was: "Explore the Bedouin land"- drive through the "unrecognized villages". We reached to Beer Hayil or Beer el Hadag and there in the middle of no where the government built a school to the Bedouin children.
We spoke with the school director who told us about that special school.
From there we were driven by safari car to Segev Shalom. We saw the unrecognized villages and its Bedouin population that are living with many difficulties.
We reached Segev Shalom and immediately we were taken to home hospitality and again the teenagers said that it was excellent. In the evening we gathered for graduation jitli project party. Most of the parents came to be with us. After thanks and summing we announced who will be the young counselors for the nest year activities. We went to light inscription fire, with Jitli 08 written. After the dance party we went back to sleep in Eshal Hanasih school' there again we gained excellent hospitality.
The nest day was the last day of Jitli 2008 summer trip. We summed the trip and it will be in the next post.
This post is without questions.
Shaar Hanegev Hospitality
Alumni Event
lAQUIA HOSPITALITY
SEGEV SHALOM HOSPITALITY
enjoy
Itzik
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Jerusalem of Democracy, Mankind, Lands
Jerusalem of Democracy, Mankind, Lands
The third day of our visit in Jerusalem was democracy day. We visited the "Kneset" building. We experienced all the security examination, and the "Knesset" guide was with us. The wall tapestry made by Mark Shagal was beautiful; all the history of the Jewish nation was on this tapestry. After visiting the Knesset plenum hall we met two Knesset members: an Arab Knesset member Zhahalka and a Jewish one Malkior who was a minister too. The questions of the participants were about co existent, daily life and the answers were according their political point of view.
We lunched at the rose garden near the Knesset building and then we entered the Supreme Court building. The view points in the supreme court yard are such, that from one side you can see the government building and from the other side you can see the knesset building, this view point is the Israeli democracy essence.
The tour in the Supreme Court building was very interesting. We received explanation about its wonderful planning, like the natural sunny light that lights the building. We met a Bedouin judge who was born in Tel Sheva near Beer Sheva . he told us his fascinating life story with a great sense of humor.
Early in the evening we met Idan and Basem. Idan is a Israeli play writer and Basem is an Arab who is lives in east Jerusalem and was in the Israeli prison. He lost his daughter in a Israeli army operation. They belong to organization that supports dialog and not revenge. They told use their stories, the touching story of Basem touched sensitive Idan and he wrote a play about Basem's story. It was a very special evening.
Early in the night we visited David Tower. We climbed to the highest view point on the roof of the castle. The panoramic view of Jerusalem at this night was very exciting. Then we went to the Kottel tunnels. It was like going in time machine back in history. We stood in a point in the tunnel that is the nearest place to the holiest place in the Jewish temple, we saw remains of big fires from the past there, we walked on a street that remained from the second temple time. We finished our visit very late 3 a.m. We reached again the Kottel yard, there, life goes on without any pause.
The next day was Adam Adama Day - men and land in Jerusalem. We walked from the school we slept at, to Ein Karem village. It was a very hot day. Afterward we traveled to the proconsul palace in east Jerusalem and we entered again to a tunnel the ancient citizens of Jerusalem passed water to Jerusalem. We reached to the proconsul palace promenade, where divided into groups there in groups we sum our visit in Jerusalem. In the horizon we saw the wall that separates Jerusalem from the west bank.
In the evening we returned to Ein Karem to receive the Shabbat and then we went to Israeli Arab girls' choir that came to us from the Galilee, afterward there was a dancing party that went on into the night.
So we neared to the last part of our journey: home hospitality in Shaar Hanegev, Lakiya and Segev Shalom.
Questions:
A. The Israeli Democracy situated in beautiful thoughtful desiged building so why is the Israeli democracy so ugly?
B. Is Jerusalem more beautiful during the day or during the night? What is outstanding in Jerusalem during the day and what is outstanding during the night?
C. Do we, in Jitli project have any roll in changing Jerusalem to be the city of peace?
D. We met so many points of co-existent in Jerusalem;would it influence us in short term? In long term?
The third day of our visit in Jerusalem was democracy day. We visited the "Kneset" building. We experienced all the security examination, and the "Knesset" guide was with us. The wall tapestry made by Mark Shagal was beautiful; all the history of the Jewish nation was on this tapestry. After visiting the Knesset plenum hall we met two Knesset members: an Arab Knesset member Zhahalka and a Jewish one Malkior who was a minister too. The questions of the participants were about co existent, daily life and the answers were according their political point of view.
We lunched at the rose garden near the Knesset building and then we entered the Supreme Court building. The view points in the supreme court yard are such, that from one side you can see the government building and from the other side you can see the knesset building, this view point is the Israeli democracy essence.
The tour in the Supreme Court building was very interesting. We received explanation about its wonderful planning, like the natural sunny light that lights the building. We met a Bedouin judge who was born in Tel Sheva near Beer Sheva . he told us his fascinating life story with a great sense of humor.
Early in the evening we met Idan and Basem. Idan is a Israeli play writer and Basem is an Arab who is lives in east Jerusalem and was in the Israeli prison. He lost his daughter in a Israeli army operation. They belong to organization that supports dialog and not revenge. They told use their stories, the touching story of Basem touched sensitive Idan and he wrote a play about Basem's story. It was a very special evening.
Early in the night we visited David Tower. We climbed to the highest view point on the roof of the castle. The panoramic view of Jerusalem at this night was very exciting. Then we went to the Kottel tunnels. It was like going in time machine back in history. We stood in a point in the tunnel that is the nearest place to the holiest place in the Jewish temple, we saw remains of big fires from the past there, we walked on a street that remained from the second temple time. We finished our visit very late 3 a.m. We reached again the Kottel yard, there, life goes on without any pause.
The next day was Adam Adama Day - men and land in Jerusalem. We walked from the school we slept at, to Ein Karem village. It was a very hot day. Afterward we traveled to the proconsul palace in east Jerusalem and we entered again to a tunnel the ancient citizens of Jerusalem passed water to Jerusalem. We reached to the proconsul palace promenade, where divided into groups there in groups we sum our visit in Jerusalem. In the horizon we saw the wall that separates Jerusalem from the west bank.
In the evening we returned to Ein Karem to receive the Shabbat and then we went to Israeli Arab girls' choir that came to us from the Galilee, afterward there was a dancing party that went on into the night.
So we neared to the last part of our journey: home hospitality in Shaar Hanegev, Lakiya and Segev Shalom.
Questions:
A. The Israeli Democracy situated in beautiful thoughtful desiged building so why is the Israeli democracy so ugly?
B. Is Jerusalem more beautiful during the day or during the night? What is outstanding in Jerusalem during the day and what is outstanding during the night?
C. Do we, in Jitli project have any roll in changing Jerusalem to be the city of peace?
D. We met so many points of co-existent in Jerusalem;would it influence us in short term? In long term?
enjoy
Itzik
Sunday, November 2, 2008
A Letter form Shaar Hanegev Participants to the Group
The Letter
In the past two weeks we have dealt primarily with your role as citizens in Israel and the problems dealing with your communities and culture. We talked about discrimination, rights and ownership of land. We have spent a lot of time and effort learning about and understanding your dilemmas and issues. As individuals and as a group we have made sure to react to situations with respect, consideration and a positive temperament. Each of us has taken the time to think about what we say before we say it in order to not offend others.
Yesterday we were all listening to the lecture about the situation in the Middle East and more specifically in Israel. As a group we have come to a conclusion that the lecture was pro-Israeli in the parts that dealt with the Gazza strip and the areas around Gazza. Although the lecture was an hour, there was only about five minutes about the situation in Gazza and with in that five minutes there was a short video clip about the reality of Sderot and the surrounding Kibbutzim. This situation is OUR reality.
Although we have created wonderful friendships with all of you, it has hurt us to see that we have spent a lot of time understanding you and your stories while you have not take any time to listen to us. Many of you have rushed to state that the situation in Gazza is a justification for the reality that WE live in; this is a reality of a life threatening situation for the past eight years. We are aware of the situation of the people living in Gazza and we feel for them. A few of us live close enough to Gazza that we see the situation with our own eyes every day, whereas you only hear about it through the news and occasionally relatives. The situation in Gazza is hard and unbarable, but it does not give you the right to overlook our situation.
We are a community that lives in constant fear; going to school every morning is risking your life. Some of the class rooms at school have been converted into bomb shelters, although most of them have not; when the alarm is sounded we have 15 seconds to run for shelter. That is 15 seconds to run for you life. Jimmy Kadoshim, the father of our close friend was killed several weeks ago by a missile while working in his garden. In the following weeks three more people have been killed including a college student at our school. Oz's brothers have moved to sleep in the shelter because they are too scared to sleep in their rooms. Maayan was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTS) after a missile fell six meters from her. The apartment of Mai's boyfriend was destroyed by a missile. Each and every one of us has already been in a situation where a few meters made a difference between life and death.
The basic right of every human being is to live in safety, not the right to own land or have equality. You all enjoy the right to live in safety, meanwhile we do not. We feel for you when you tell us about discrimination and mistreatment of you as citizens of our country. Did you ever take a moment to think about those people you hear about in Sderot as victims? Because those people are us and you rush to disregard us. The fact that you do not take the time to understand us and our situation as people that are threatened and living in constant fear; it seems as if there is a personal offence to each and every one of us. None of us are afraid that our houses are going to be destroyed, but we are each afraid of going to school each morning. For some of us, even our home isn't safe. The fear we posses is real. The fear we feel when we walk to school or go out to play soccer is real. None of you have experienced that type of daily fear, we have been living with this fear for eight years now. The people of Gaza have these similar daily fears as we do. You with all of our difficulties in this country live here in safety, we on the other hand do not.
We feel as if none of you have considered our situation from your personal point of view as someone who lives in safety. You all reacted as if you relate to the citizens of Gazza. We don't relate to anyone; this is our life and our reality.
You haven't shown a slightest bit of respect and empathy to our situation at hand. To ignore and dismiss the danger we live in only because Gazza is more dangerous is an offensive and insulting act. This act is not JITLI. We came here to respect and be respected in return. Until now we feel as if we have put forth the respect needed and have not been given back the respect we deserve. Instead we have received undermining coments and disrespect.
Each and everyone of us and all of us as a group were insulted. This is something we feel very strongly about and do not want to let this simply pass. I hope you take into consideration everything we said and we can move on to become a stronger JITLI family that respects each and everyone of us.
Yesterday we were all listening to the lecture about the situation in the Middle East and more specifically in Israel. As a group we have come to a conclusion that the lecture was pro-Israeli in the parts that dealt with the Gazza strip and the areas around Gazza. Although the lecture was an hour, there was only about five minutes about the situation in Gazza and with in that five minutes there was a short video clip about the reality of Sderot and the surrounding Kibbutzim. This situation is OUR reality.
Although we have created wonderful friendships with all of you, it has hurt us to see that we have spent a lot of time understanding you and your stories while you have not take any time to listen to us. Many of you have rushed to state that the situation in Gazza is a justification for the reality that WE live in; this is a reality of a life threatening situation for the past eight years. We are aware of the situation of the people living in Gazza and we feel for them. A few of us live close enough to Gazza that we see the situation with our own eyes every day, whereas you only hear about it through the news and occasionally relatives. The situation in Gazza is hard and unbarable, but it does not give you the right to overlook our situation.
We are a community that lives in constant fear; going to school every morning is risking your life. Some of the class rooms at school have been converted into bomb shelters, although most of them have not; when the alarm is sounded we have 15 seconds to run for shelter. That is 15 seconds to run for you life. Jimmy Kadoshim, the father of our close friend was killed several weeks ago by a missile while working in his garden. In the following weeks three more people have been killed including a college student at our school. Oz's brothers have moved to sleep in the shelter because they are too scared to sleep in their rooms. Maayan was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTS) after a missile fell six meters from her. The apartment of Mai's boyfriend was destroyed by a missile. Each and every one of us has already been in a situation where a few meters made a difference between life and death.
The basic right of every human being is to live in safety, not the right to own land or have equality. You all enjoy the right to live in safety, meanwhile we do not. We feel for you when you tell us about discrimination and mistreatment of you as citizens of our country. Did you ever take a moment to think about those people you hear about in Sderot as victims? Because those people are us and you rush to disregard us. The fact that you do not take the time to understand us and our situation as people that are threatened and living in constant fear; it seems as if there is a personal offence to each and every one of us. None of us are afraid that our houses are going to be destroyed, but we are each afraid of going to school each morning. For some of us, even our home isn't safe. The fear we posses is real. The fear we feel when we walk to school or go out to play soccer is real. None of you have experienced that type of daily fear, we have been living with this fear for eight years now. The people of Gaza have these similar daily fears as we do. You with all of our difficulties in this country live here in safety, we on the other hand do not.
We feel as if none of you have considered our situation from your personal point of view as someone who lives in safety. You all reacted as if you relate to the citizens of Gazza. We don't relate to anyone; this is our life and our reality.
You haven't shown a slightest bit of respect and empathy to our situation at hand. To ignore and dismiss the danger we live in only because Gazza is more dangerous is an offensive and insulting act. This act is not JITLI. We came here to respect and be respected in return. Until now we feel as if we have put forth the respect needed and have not been given back the respect we deserve. Instead we have received undermining coments and disrespect.
Each and everyone of us and all of us as a group were insulted. This is something we feel very strongly about and do not want to let this simply pass. I hope you take into consideration everything we said and we can move on to become a stronger JITLI family that respects each and everyone of us.
How to create more sympathy empathy kindness and love in such intense trip???
Itzik koren
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Two First Days in Jerusalem
Jerusalem – the first two days
After a night flight from Madrid we landed at Ben Gurion airport at 5AM, and traveled to Mt Scopus in east Jerusalem. We stopped at a view point on the old city of Jerusalem. The view was overwhelming, the old city in the east touching the new city in the west,
We also saw the separation wall in the north and the hanging bridge in the center of the city. After saying "seheheyano" the traditional Jewish blessing thanking God that we live and enjoy this moment we blessed the bread salt and wine we ate there for our breakfast. A conversation started about our feelings and everyone told their feelings and self identity there, that morning in Jerusalem.
We stayed at the in Ein Karem school, in the residential school lodging, we rested a little bit and then Neil Lazaros spoke with us about the situation in the Middle East today: Iran, Iraq, the Palestinians problems, and Israel. It was a very interesting lecture and the teenagers asked questions and spoke their opinions.
In the evening we met the parents that came to Ein Karem to meet their children after two weeks abroad. It was very exciting meeting and we were all so happy. After some greetings and festive dinner there was a music performance in Ladino Hebrew and Arabic . The singers were Jewish and Arabs.
The next day we had a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. We were divided to three groups, each group represented one religion : Jewish, Christianity, Islam. Each group had a different way to reach the old city of Jerusalem. at the end of this activity each participant visited the Kottel - The Wailing Wall, Temple Mount – Omar Mosque and El-aksa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I was surprised how easy it was to enter the Temple Mount.
I asked one of the participants of the Jitli summer trip, from the states, a first time visiter in Jerusalem about her feeling after visiting the holy places and she said that that visit reminded her very much a visit in Disney land park, very crowded every where, waiting in line but in the end of the visit it was a great experience. I liked her answer very much because there was another point of view very local point of view. I realized that it was matter of proportions.
We returned to Ein Karem school and there we heard a panel of three lecturers about the three religions and their attitude to daily problems. I was impressed by the Sufi attitudes. Sufe is a group in the Islam, that talk about the feelings in the heart as the most important reason to man behavior.
After dinner we met again and analyzed texts from the bible and holy Koran with the help of Martin Sesler, we analyzed the similarity and the differences between the texts.
We dealt with Cain and Abel story, and Isaac or Ishmael sacrificed and the story of Abraham and Sodom destroyed. After analyzing textswe understood the Islamic attitude not to argue with god and to accept him, and the opposite in the Judaism to ask and to argue and even to rebel against god.
Before going to sleep the group from Shaar Hanegev read a letter to all participants that its main subject was more sensitivity to one another in the groups. Questions:
A. What makes Jerusalem so especial? The holiest city in the world?
B. What gives the feeling of holiness? Why did I, a Jew, feel the holiness at the Temple Mount near the mosques? In the Church of the Holy Sephlucre? in the Kotel tunnels? And less holiness near the Kotel Wall?
C. What is different or similar between the old city of Jerusalem and Disney Land?
D. Why the, moderate approaches in the different religions have less influence on our lives?
E. Does deeper knowledge about a religion change someone's opinion about its?
F. I feel that there is more similarity between Judaism and Islam then with Christianity. Is it true?
We arrived to Jerusalem
We also saw the separation wall in the north and the hanging bridge in the center of the city. After saying "seheheyano" the traditional Jewish blessing thanking God that we live and enjoy this moment we blessed the bread salt and wine we ate there for our breakfast. A conversation started about our feelings and everyone told their feelings and self identity there, that morning in Jerusalem.
We stayed at the in Ein Karem school, in the residential school lodging, we rested a little bit and then Neil Lazaros spoke with us about the situation in the Middle East today: Iran, Iraq, the Palestinians problems, and Israel. It was a very interesting lecture and the teenagers asked questions and spoke their opinions.
In the evening we met the parents that came to Ein Karem to meet their children after two weeks abroad. It was very exciting meeting and we were all so happy. After some greetings and festive dinner there was a music performance in Ladino Hebrew and Arabic . The singers were Jewish and Arabs.
The next day we had a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. We were divided to three groups, each group represented one religion : Jewish, Christianity, Islam. Each group had a different way to reach the old city of Jerusalem. at the end of this activity each participant visited the Kottel - The Wailing Wall, Temple Mount – Omar Mosque and El-aksa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I was surprised how easy it was to enter the Temple Mount.
I asked one of the participants of the Jitli summer trip, from the states, a first time visiter in Jerusalem about her feeling after visiting the holy places and she said that that visit reminded her very much a visit in Disney land park, very crowded every where, waiting in line but in the end of the visit it was a great experience. I liked her answer very much because there was another point of view very local point of view. I realized that it was matter of proportions.
We returned to Ein Karem school and there we heard a panel of three lecturers about the three religions and their attitude to daily problems. I was impressed by the Sufi attitudes. Sufe is a group in the Islam, that talk about the feelings in the heart as the most important reason to man behavior.
After dinner we met again and analyzed texts from the bible and holy Koran with the help of Martin Sesler, we analyzed the similarity and the differences between the texts.
We dealt with Cain and Abel story, and Isaac or Ishmael sacrificed and the story of Abraham and Sodom destroyed. After analyzing textswe understood the Islamic attitude not to argue with god and to accept him, and the opposite in the Judaism to ask and to argue and even to rebel against god.
Before going to sleep the group from Shaar Hanegev read a letter to all participants that its main subject was more sensitivity to one another in the groups. Questions:
A. What makes Jerusalem so especial? The holiest city in the world?
B. What gives the feeling of holiness? Why did I, a Jew, feel the holiness at the Temple Mount near the mosques? In the Church of the Holy Sephlucre? in the Kotel tunnels? And less holiness near the Kotel Wall?
C. What is different or similar between the old city of Jerusalem and Disney Land?
D. Why the, moderate approaches in the different religions have less influence on our lives?
E. Does deeper knowledge about a religion change someone's opinion about its?
F. I feel that there is more similarity between Judaism and Islam then with Christianity. Is it true?
We arrived to Jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Oj4hQScz8
Middle East Today - Neil Lazaros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tK7AdhT-As
Meeting the Parents
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVWFyb4QXv4
pilgrimage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aG3jiyTPnw
The Three Religions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn8-FMXpqzU
ANAYLAZING TEXTS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6a3nYG6vbs
ENJOY
ITZIK
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
toledo
Toledo
The way from Cordova to Toledo lasted five hours; this was good time to fill our cells with energy and to continue sleeping. Before we reached Toledo we passed in Lamanch the land of Don Quixote, it was amazing to see the wind mill on the top of the hills, Don Quixote fought the wind mill and we came to learn about them.
Toledo, three of its sides are surrounded by the Tacho river and in the fourth side a wall. The old city is located on a hill. We climbed the old town from the wall side with escalators. We walked through its backstreets to the old synagogue, one of two that still remains in the old city. It is a magnificent synagogue, now there is a museum there about the golden time of Toledo Jewery. Afterward we walked to a culture center near Toledo cathedral, there we ate oriental food: salad falafel humus. A folk unique music group played with ancient music instruments songs and danced Jewish music from the middle ages. We reached the hotel, in that afternoon we all gathered to speak about our identity, personal identity. Gary Jacobs opened this conversation by introducing his identity in a very interesting way then the conversation that developed was very unique, we the Israeli Jews have a definition problem between Jewish and Israeli what is coming before ? The United states Jewish between Jewish and American , the Negev Bedouins between Muslim, Palestenian, Israeli? Every participant told his opinion and feelings and we all felt the similarity and the difference among the participants and the groups. In Toledo I met my daughter Hadash Lulu' she is learning in Madrid Spanish dancing and circus, in that evening she activated the group with acrobatic exercises that are based on new balances then every participant expressed his feelings with his voice without words.
The next day we visited Toledo cathedral, a magnificent building with interesting art treasures. Every participant got money for food and two hours time to walk and eat in the old town of Toledo.. We returned to the hotel to finish the dwarfs' game. Every dwarf found out who was his giant. We prepared ourselves and continued the journey to Israel already that night..
The questions that came up after the visit Toledo were:
a. Why do we need frames to be kind to one another?? Dwarfs' game, Jitli project? How shall we continue with constructive connections once the frame is no loger there?
b. In Toledo we felt a yearning to Jerusalem, to the oriental food, to historical songs, to our real indentify. What makes a town or city to be so unique? Its beauty? Its history? The people that lived there, that are living now? A combination of the all factors?
c. How someone builds his identity? Specifically when one has choices. What helps us to choose an identity? Connection to myself, to my friends, to my nation, to my homeland, to the era?
d. And again connection among people that is born with the help of art: without words, creating new balance, accepting each other, what do all these activities contribute to our personal shared future?
e. Why were we all so excited before the return to Israel?
Does anybody who read this blog have answers to those questions ? JITLI participants?
Toledo's video clips
Sleeping - pictures
The way from Cordova to Toledo lasted five hours; this was good time to fill our cells with energy and to continue sleeping. Before we reached Toledo we passed in Lamanch the land of Don Quixote, it was amazing to see the wind mill on the top of the hills, Don Quixote fought the wind mill and we came to learn about them.
Toledo, three of its sides are surrounded by the Tacho river and in the fourth side a wall. The old city is located on a hill. We climbed the old town from the wall side with escalators. We walked through its backstreets to the old synagogue, one of two that still remains in the old city. It is a magnificent synagogue, now there is a museum there about the golden time of Toledo Jewery. Afterward we walked to a culture center near Toledo cathedral, there we ate oriental food: salad falafel humus. A folk unique music group played with ancient music instruments songs and danced Jewish music from the middle ages. We reached the hotel, in that afternoon we all gathered to speak about our identity, personal identity. Gary Jacobs opened this conversation by introducing his identity in a very interesting way then the conversation that developed was very unique, we the Israeli Jews have a definition problem between Jewish and Israeli what is coming before ? The United states Jewish between Jewish and American , the Negev Bedouins between Muslim, Palestenian, Israeli? Every participant told his opinion and feelings and we all felt the similarity and the difference among the participants and the groups. In Toledo I met my daughter Hadash Lulu' she is learning in Madrid Spanish dancing and circus, in that evening she activated the group with acrobatic exercises that are based on new balances then every participant expressed his feelings with his voice without words.
The next day we visited Toledo cathedral, a magnificent building with interesting art treasures. Every participant got money for food and two hours time to walk and eat in the old town of Toledo.. We returned to the hotel to finish the dwarfs' game. Every dwarf found out who was his giant. We prepared ourselves and continued the journey to Israel already that night..
The questions that came up after the visit Toledo were:
a. Why do we need frames to be kind to one another?? Dwarfs' game, Jitli project? How shall we continue with constructive connections once the frame is no loger there?
b. In Toledo we felt a yearning to Jerusalem, to the oriental food, to historical songs, to our real indentify. What makes a town or city to be so unique? Its beauty? Its history? The people that lived there, that are living now? A combination of the all factors?
c. How someone builds his identity? Specifically when one has choices. What helps us to choose an identity? Connection to myself, to my friends, to my nation, to my homeland, to the era?
d. And again connection among people that is born with the help of art: without words, creating new balance, accepting each other, what do all these activities contribute to our personal shared future?
e. Why were we all so excited before the return to Israel?
Does anybody who read this blog have answers to those questions ? JITLI participants?
Toledo's video clips
Sleeping - pictures
Ho ha on the way to toledo
Toledo the first day
Toledo the second day
Toledo- Hadashlulu my daughter activities
enjoy
Itzik
Friday, October 3, 2008
cordova
cordova
We reached Cordova before evening. We crossed the "El Cabi r"river , which still has an Arabic name. The bus stopped near the city walls and we walked to the Maimonides hotel.
It was Friday so we quickly prepared ourselves to "Kabalat Shabat". In an interior yard of Maimonides hotel the Jitli group, Jewish and Muslim teenagers, had Friday Jewish ceremony to receive the Shabat. We heard Shabat songs, we blessed the bread and the wine. That ceremony touched me very much maybe because of the symbolic place and time.(Cordova, Maimonides hotel, Rambam city, the Mosquita).
After we ate, we went to the Jewish museum in the old city, its name is
"Casa de sefarad" . There we had a culture night. Each community made a show that characterizes its people. Segev Shalom teenagers dramatized a story that was taken from a new book collection of Bedouin legendry from the Negev. San Diego teenagers showed the history of the Jewish community in the last hundred years. Shaar Hanegev teenagers showed episodes from the Israeli army that emphasized the great difference among the Israelis and that the army is the only place that unifies them together. Laquia teenagers danced a Debbka, a beautiful dance. The mood after the performances was high and we did not stop singing and dancing.
The next day we returned to the "Casa de sefarad", there we heard mini concert of Mohamed Akel and local musicians. We listened to ancient Andalusia music. Then some actors from our staff represented us some famous persons from Cordova history: Rabbi Moshe Ben Mymon - Harambam , Eben Rashid a muslin philosopher.
Then we were divided to four groups and every group prepared a video clip. The scripts represented the life in Cordova in the golden age., and the problems and dilemma from that time.
In the evening we had flamenco show with the Shosi Israeli group and even safir from Shaar Hanegev danced a beautiful flamenco dance.
In the time we were in Cordova the pictures and the video clips tell about the wonderful events much better then the written words.
After we visited the Musquita , a church that was the greatest mosque in the world, and after the meeting between the Spanish foreign minister and Mr. Gary Jacobs in Cordova, I fantasized that the Spanish foreign minister would promote a historical movement to compensate people of the world. That he suggests that Spain will give the Musquita back to the Muslims and the building will be a mosque again (compensation to Muslims) that the Jewish people can build a magnificent synagogue in the temple mount (compensations to Jews) and Jerusalem will be an international city.( compensations to Christian people). I know that it is fantasy but what you think? Will movements like this upgrade peace?
More questions:
A. Is shared culture - Jewish Muslim possible today? As it was in Cordova in the golden age?
B. Is creating a shared culture like it happened in our culture night in Cordova a significant step to make people from different cultures feel closer?
C, Isn't Cordova an excellent example of honoring different cultures? Keeping history? National pride based on accepting the other?
Think and give your comments
13 video clips about cordova spain activities,
1. Pictures from the 2 days in Cordova
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mlm2Nz4iNI
2.Shabat at Maimonides hotel
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ4r0UBg1_I
3. Culture Night
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQqs4DhKJM
4.Culture Night San Diego Show
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KciLEqRlwG0
5.Culture Night Segev Shalom Show
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVeS9ZdavrY
6.Culture Night Laquiya Show
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EkJXHjsfk4&feature=user
7. Culture Night Shaar Hanegev Show
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVeS9ZdavrY
8.Cordova the second day
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJyizACN7Yg
9.Cordova Spanish Fiesta Flamenco
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLIL_VzUmu0
10. Shosi Israeli Flamenco Dancer
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuS3sonqrWg
11.Safir Dancing Flamenco
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gYsPSTPKaA
12. Segev Shalom Documentary
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA7gqbkWl2k
13.Laquia Documentary
youtube address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB7oj6PScHw
enjoy
Itzik
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